During that inspection at the council’s depot in Merlin Way, Ilkeston, workers found that the vehicle's MOT had expired six weeks beforehand.

As a result, magistrates fined him a total of £266.

Councillor Garry Hickton, lead member for Environment at Erewash Borough Council, says: “This was a licenced private hire vehicle that had been used 300 times during that time to take members of the public on their journeys.